• by Teresa Buyikian , Yesterday

A new partnership between Heineken USA and OpenTable celebrates designated drivers (DD) before the night out has even begun. 

The two brands have come together under Heineken's “There's No Such Thing As Fine To Drive” campaign to reward diners who designate their DD status directly while booking on OpenTable. 

Intended to “help remove the barriers to making responsible decisions” the program is available in select Houston locations via the OpenTable platform beginning July 31.

When a DD is named on the reservation, Heineken will pick up the tab for their order of a non-alcoholic Heineken 0.0, as well as provide a ride-share voucher with SafeRides.org for a future evening out.

The program was inspired by a recent Heineken survey that found “71% of Americans would be more likely to make a safe ride home plan if they were prompted at time of reservation booking,” and that “64% would volunteer to be the DD more often if restaurants/venues offered to pay for their non-alcoholic drinks.

“Heineken has a longstanding global ambition to brew the joy of true togetherness, which means ensuring moments of connection are always enjoyed responsibly and removing barriers to moderation,” said Anne de Graaf, chief corporate affairs officer at Heineken USA. “By elevating the DD experience, we want to raise awareness that opting out of alcohol doesn't mean opting out of the fun… This first-of-its-kind OpenTable partnership proves that choosing not to drink is a celebrated choice, shifting how people plan their nights out from the very first reservation.”

The Houston-specific survey findings also revealed “34% of Houstonians have previously underestimated how intoxicated they were until they were already behind the wheel,” and 36% have previously “given in and driven after drinking because they were the ‘most sober’ one in the group.”

The pilot program runs through Oct. 31 at select Houston-area restaurants.